+TheMylrea's Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Let me say first, that I am a new Garmin 60cs user, but I got my son a used Explorist 600, and considering that I am new at both, I must say that the Magellan interface is terrible. Nothing is intuitive. I can figure out my 60cs fine, but we all get frustrated trying to work with the Explorist 600. Now, to the matter at hand...we cannot seem to get the battery to charge. When we connect the cord to the 600 and plug in the AC adapter plug, then turn on the 600. It automatically comes up on the USB File transfer mode screen. Seems odd. In any case, we cannot get off this screen unless we change the selection to POWER ONLY. Once changed, the screen that shows the battery level now only shows EXT. POWER and a symbol of a yellow AC plug. According to the manual, it should show BATTERY CHARGING. When left in EXT POWER mode, the battery never charges. Can someone explain how this "Rube Goldberg" GPS is supposed to be set to charge the battery? ps. Whoever designed that screw-on connector just to charge the battery should have every connector in their house changed to teeny-tiny screw-on connections! Quote Link to comment
+olddon Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 Let me say first, that I am a new Garmin 60cs user, but I got my son a used Explorist 600, and considering that I am new at both, I must say that the Magellan interface is terrible. Nothing is intuitive. I can figure out my 60cs fine, but we all get frustrated trying to work with the Explorist 600. Now, to the matter at hand...we cannot seem to get the battery to charge. When we connect the cord to the 600 and plug in the AC adapter plug, then turn on the 600. It automatically comes up on the USB File transfer mode screen. Seems odd. In any case, we cannot get off this screen unless we change the selection to POWER ONLY. Once changed, the screen that shows the battery level now only shows EXT. POWER and a symbol of a yellow AC plug. According to the manual, it should show BATTERY CHARGING. When left in EXT POWER mode, the battery never charges. Can someone explain how this "Rube Goldberg" GPS is supposed to be set to charge the battery? ps. Whoever designed that screw-on connector just to charge the battery should have every connector in their house changed to teeny-tiny screw-on connections! Quote Link to comment
+olddon Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 dont plug the 600 into the computer just the charger Quote Link to comment
+EScout Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 You will want to get the craddle/holder, which makes life easy (you just drop the eXplorist into it and it starts charging, no screwing in the cable.) Until then, attach the cable so that it is running down the back of the unit, not up. It will then charge using the wall wart, which is plugged into the "Y" in the cable. Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 If you try to charge using only the computer, it takes a long time. That's why you get only the "external power" icon. The wall-wart should put a charge on within 3 hours or so. Quote Link to comment
+letmein Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 If you connect the cable with the cord running up instead of down then the unit will show charging. You will not be able to communicate over the usb to your computer however. Plugging in in this "upside down" mode you should not also plug in the wall socket charger. I always use a cig-adapter to usb in my car, and I always plug it in with the cable running up so that I get a quick charge. Quote Link to comment
+smerrall Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 Mine came up with a bar graph showing how the charging was progressing. Then it stopped when I tried to charge it the second time. Somehow my battery died after one charge and produced exactly the same effect you are describing. Perhaps you have a bad battery too? Quote Link to comment
+TheMylrea's Posted February 21, 2006 Author Share Posted February 21, 2006 To all that have replied: Thanks for the tips and info! FWIW, we aren't plugging into the USB on the computer...only using the AC adapter and connecting to the back using the (dumb) screw-on connector. I'm not sure whether we have the cord running up or down, but I will double check that. I thought it was weird that, when not plugged into a USB port, that the 600 would go into USB transfer mode just by plugging the power connector onto the back!! I don't want to transfer, I want to charge the 600 (and maybe even play with it too, while charging)! In any case, i'm going to track down one of those cradles...is the cradle USB-enabled, or just power? Thanks all...I'll report back. Darryl. Quote Link to comment
+TheMylrea's Posted February 21, 2006 Author Share Posted February 21, 2006 So, about this cradle for the 600...Magellan's site doesn't show a cradle for the 600. Seems like a logical accessory (necessity), but they don't list one. Even ebay only shows cradle/mounts for inside a car. Any info or links to the cradle for the Explorist 600? Darryl. Quote Link to comment
+Stunod Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 So, about this cradle for the 600...Magellan's site doesn't show a cradle for the 600. Seems like a logical accessory (necessity), but they don't list one. Even ebay only shows cradle/mounts for inside a car. Any info or links to the cradle for the Explorist 600? Darryl. http://www.magellangps.com/en/store/product.asp?PRODID=1018 Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 ...and http://www.magellangps.com/en/store/product.asp?PRODID=1017 Quote Link to comment
+EScout Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 ..is the cradle USB-enabled, or just power? Your cable snaps into the craddle, so you can do both. You can run the unit and load files while it is charging. Quote Link to comment
+TheMylrea's Posted February 21, 2006 Author Share Posted February 21, 2006 OK, I don't get it. Both of the above referenced "cradles" look to be just mounting brackets for cars or boats. When getting a cradle, I expect something that sits on your desk, with the AC and/or USB cable attached, and you just sit your device into the cradle, and it starts charging and is available for communications. Both of the above referenced don't say anything about being an "active" cradle, nor do I see any contacts on them to serve as cradles. Am I expecting too much? Quote Link to comment
+GOT GPS? Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Magellan GPS holders have a hole on back , Where the cable snaps into, and all you have to do is seat the GPS in the holder, and it applies pressure on the cable connector, and no need of messing with a screw, as long as the GPS is snapped tightly into the holder, but if you need to do a firmware update at some time in the future, it is still a good idea to tighten the screw, to avoid a firmware update failure. The whole setup with the GPS holder, and the hole on back for the cable connector, is to make it easy to connect to the PC. - Geoff Quote Link to comment
rmm200 Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 A properly functioning Explorist only shows the communication screen if you are plugged into the PC using the USB connector. It will not show this screen if your cord is going down or up. It might if you connect it with the cord going sideways - I am not about to try it on mine. Recommended procedure: 1) mount cable to the Explorist going straight down along the back 2) Plug wall wart adapter into wall (order of 1 and 2 don't matter) 3) Plug power connection into Explorist cable (this really should be done last) If your screw-on connector is "hot" when you are connecting it, there is a very good chance you will apply power to the wrong terminals and fry your unit. If you apply power in the method indicated, not plugged into the PC, and it still comes up in USB mode, it is time for a service call. Robert Quote Link to comment
+TheMylrea's Posted February 21, 2006 Author Share Posted February 21, 2006 Thanks everyone. I did determine that when the cable is going down the back of the 600, the battery does correctly show "Charging", then "FULL CHARGE" when complete. Apparently, with the cable going up, it does trick the unit into going into USB transfer mode (even when there is no computer connected!), and when we chose EXT POWER, it SLOOOOWWWW charged. In any case, case solved! I'll look into the cradles, but space is limited where it would go, and those "cradles" that Magellan sells look rather thick and large. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 I'll look into the cradles, but space is limited where it would go, and those "cradles" that Magellan sells look rather thick and large. Just an FYI: I like to use the swivel mount on my desktop (I've got a piece of velcro on the bottom to also use it on the dash of my cars); the diameter of the base is 3.5 inches. Quote Link to comment
+Jamie Z Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 I'm thinking about adding a RAM ball to my desk. That way, I can just bring the RAM mount I use in my car and on my motorcycle inside and put it on my desk. Jamie Quote Link to comment
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